1. Field of the Invention
Various aspects of the present invention relate to controlling recording and replay of multimedia information through interaction with a storage system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Television channel broadcasters or television channel service providers provide hundreds of television channels to viewers. Of the hundreds, a viewer may subscribe to all or select a few of the channels. Often, the viewer desires to watch a television show after it has been telecast because the viewer might have missed the show or might want to watch the show again. Personal Video Recording (PVR) systems are available in market that allow the viewer to record television shows or programs so that the viewer can play back recorded shows at a later time. In most PVR systems, the viewer must know at what time a particular television show will be telecast and accordingly the viewer has to set the start and stop timers of the PVR system. It is not possible for the viewer to record a show whose telecast timing the viewer is not aware of. Again, if there is a change in telecast timing, the viewer may end up recording a show the viewer didn't desire to record.
A PVR system is typically attached to a television or a set top box supplied by a television channel service provider. The set top box is typically a cable set top box or a satellite set top box. The PVR system records the television show in a storage medium, which is typically a compact disc, hard drive or tape. The viewer typically keeps the PVR system at home, and if the viewer wants to watch the recorded show when the viewer is away from home, then the viewer may have to physically carry the PVR system and the storage medium with him. Carrying the PVR system is generally difficult, if not impossible.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art through comparison of such systems with various aspects of the present invention.